‘Clear Channel Is Complicit in Attempted Voter Suppression,’ Says One WI Now

Madison — In less than 72 hours more than 2,000 people have signed One Wisconsin Now’s petition demanding Clear Channel remove the voter suppression billboards targeting minority communities in Milwaukee just weeks before the November 6 election. Clear Channel has so far refused to take down the billboards and reveal the anonymous donor behind them.

“The people of Wisconsin have spoken and they are demanding Clear Channel remove these racist, voter suppression billboards immediately,” said Scot Ross. “People are outraged over these billboards and they are disgusted that Clear Channel is profiting from the attempted disenfranchisement of legal Wisconsin voters.”

Clear Channel has admitted to being paid to post 85 billboards, which overwhelmingly target communities of color in southeastern Wisconsin, with the ominous message “Voter Fraud is a Crime” and listing the penalties. A similar version of this billboard also sprung up in the last month of the November 2010 elections, also through Clear Channel.

In 2010, One Wisconsin Now stopped voter caging operation that involved the Reince Priebus-run Republican Party of Wisconsin, the Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin and heads of the state’s Tea Party groups, which directly spoke of voter suppression billboards.

“Clear Channel is complicit in attempted voter suppression – it is as simple as that,” said Ross. “Fortunately, the people of Wisconsin are determined to exercise their right to the franchise, but they will never forget Clear Channel’s role in this attack on our democracy.”